gradually in fucceffive Parts, of which the Scheme can only be fo far known, as the Authour shall think fit to discover it.

The Paper which we now invite the Public to add to the Papers with which it is already rather wearied than fatisfied, confifts of many Parts; fome of which it has in common with other periodical Sheets, and fome peculiar to itself.

The firft Demand made by the Reader of a Journal is, that he fhould find an accurate Account of foreign Tranfactions and domestic Incidents. This is always expected, but this is very rarely performed. Of thofe Writers who have taken upon themfelves the Tafk of Intelligence, fome have given and others have fold their Abilities, whether small or great, to one or other of the Parties that divide us; and without a Wifh for Truth or Thought of Decency, without Care of any other Reputation than that of á ftubborn Adherence to their Abettors, carry on the fame Tenor of Reprefentation through all the Viciffitudes of Right and Wrong, neither depreffed by Detection, nor abafhed by Confutation, proud of the hourly Increafe of Infamy, and ready to boast of all the Contumelies that Falfehood and Slander may bring upon them, as new Proofs of their Zeal and Fidelity.

With thefe Heroes we have no Ambition to be humbered, we leave to the Confeffors of Faction the Merit of their Sufferings, and are defirous to fhelter ourfelves under the Protection of Truth, That all our Facts will be authentic, or all our Remarks juft, we dare not venture to promise: We can relate but what we hear, we can point out but what we fee. Of remote Tranfactions, the firft Accounts are always confufed, and commonly exaggerated; and in domestic Affairs, if the Power to conceal is lefs, the Intereft to mifreprefent is often greater; and what is fufficiently vexatious, Truth feems to

fy

fly from Curiofity, and as many Enquirers produce many Narratives, whatever engages the public Attention is immediately difguifed by the Embellishments of Fiction. We pretend to no peculiar Power of difentangling Contradiction or denuding Forgery, we have no fettled Correfpondence with the Antipodes, nor maintain any Spies in the Cabinets of Princes. But as we fhall always be confcious that our Mistakes are involuntary, we fhall watch the gradual Difcoveries of Time, and retract what we have haftily and erroneously advanced.

In the Narratives of the daily Writers every Reader perceives fomewhat of Neatness and Purity want. ing, which at the first View it feems easy to fupply; but it must be confidered, that thofe Paffages must be written in Haste, and that there is often no other Choice, but that they muft want either Novelty or Accuracy; and that as Life is very uniform, the Affairs of one Week are fo like thofe of another, that by any Attempt after Variety of Expreffion, Invention would foon be wearied, and Language exhausted. Some Improvements however we hope to make; and for the reft we think that when we commit only common Faults, we shall not be excluded from common Indulgence. The Accounts of Prices of Corn and Stocks are to most of our Readers of more Importance than Narratives of greater Sound, and as Exactnefs is here within the Reach of Diligence, our Readers may justly require it from us.

Memorials of a private and perfonal Kind, which relate Deaths, Marriages, and Preferments, must always be imperfect by Omiflion, and often erroneous by Mifinformation; but even in thefe there fhall not be wanting Care to avoid Mistakes, or to rectify them whenever they fhall be found.

That Part of our Work, by which it is diftinguished from all others, is the literary Journal, or

Account

156

PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE

Account of the Labours and Productions of the Learned. This was for a long Time among the Deficiencies of English Literature, but as the Caprice of Man is always starting from too little to too much, we have now amongst other Disturbers of human Quiet, a numerous Body of Reviewers and Remarkers.

Every Art is improved by the Emulation of Competitors; thofe who make no Advances towards Excellence, may ftand as Warnings against Faults. We fhall endeavour to avoid that Petu, lance which treats with Contempt whatever has hitherto been reputed facred.

We fhall reprefs that Elation of Malignity, which wantons in the Cruelties of Criticism, and not only murders Reputation, but murders it by Torture. Whenever we feel ourselves ignorant we fhall at leaft be modeft. Our Intention is not to pre-occupy Judgment by Praise or Cenfure, but to gratify Curiofity by early Intelligence, and to tell rather what our Authours have attempted, than what they have performed. The Titles of Books are neceffarily fhort, and therefore difclofe but imperfectly the Contents; they are fometimes fraudulent and intended to raife falfe Expectations. In our account this Brevity will be extended, and thefe Frauds whenever they are detected will be expofed; for though we write without Intention to injure, wę fhall not fuffer ourselves to be made Parties to Deceit.

If any Authour fhall tranfmit a Summary of his Work, we fhall willingly receive it; if any literary Anecdote, or curious Observation fhall be communicated to us, we fhall carefully infert it. Many Facts are known and forgotten, many Obfervations are made and fuppreffed; and Entertainment and Inftruction are frequently loft, for want of a Re

pofitory

pofit ferve N afcer

and gend

pofitory in which they may be conveniently preferved.

No Man can modeftly promife what he cannot afcertain we hope for the Praife of Knowledge and Discernment, but we claim only that of Diligence and Candour.

INTRODUC

INTRODUCTION

TO THE

Proceedings of the Committee appointed to manage the Contributions begun at London, Dec. 18, 1758, for Cloathing French Prifoners of War.

TH

HE Committee intrufted with the Money contributed to the Relief of the Subjects of France, now Prisoners in the British Dominions, here lay before the Public an exact Account of all the Sums received and expended, that the Donors may judge how properly their Benefactions have been applied.

Charity would lofe its Name, were it influenced by fo mean a Motive as human Praife: It is therefore not intended to celebrate by any particular Memorial, the Liberality of fingle Perfons, or diftinct Societies; it is fufficient that their Works praise them.

Yet he who is far from feeking Honour, may very justly obviate Cenfure. If a good Example has been fet, it may lofe its Influence by Mifreprefentation; and to free Charity from Reproach, is itself a charitable Action.

Against the Relief of the French only one Argument has been brought; but that one is fo popular and specious, that if it were to remain unexamined, it would by many be thought irrefragable. It has been urged that Charity, like other Virtues, may be improperly and unfeasonably exerted; that while we are relieving Frenchmen, there remain many Englishmen unrelieved; that while we lavifh Pity on our Enemies, we forget the Mifery of our Friends.

Grant